Basic R1 pushing button doesn't express the full speed player, it's nothing like a catch-up bug or anything.
It's about timing too and try to staying straight to the goal. Same, nobody catch me with Mbappe if i put him in Attack, on some circonstance of course.
You loose speed when you changes directions too. Without the ball on a full run, well placed trough ball and both player (Attacker/Defender) don't have the ball, you'll see the difference in speed.
Fifa has the pushing ball forward with the right stick for example, you can push the ball very far and then you see the player speed at full run.
In PES, we've got double tap R1 + directions, it's "practically" the same as well you can double tap and while changing direction in a instant (needs some practice) but the issue is you can't push the ball as far as you want...
Unless i've missed something in the manual.
Interesting. How does that work? Do you have fine control of how far you can push the ball? And does the ball becomes free/loose if you push it too far, or is there still an invisible string between you and the ball?